Folding chair



Sept. 22, 1953 w. KOTLER 2,652,882

FOLDING CHAIR Filed NOV. 14, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

//7 INVENTOR.

in, William [fuller 4&4 flttalwey W. KOTLER FOLDING CHAIR Sept. 22, 1953 3 SheetsShee*i 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1:60

IN VEN TOR. William ltazZer Y Aha/;

W. KOTLER FOLDING CHAIR Sept. 22, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 14, 1950 l INVENTOR- wz'llzkml lratler BY I.

[liar/lay Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OF'FKIE FOLDING CHAIR William Kotler, Miami, Fla.- Application November 14, 1950,.SeriallNo. 195,663 13 Claims. (01. 155-4 05) The present invention relates to folding chairs and more particularly to lawn and beach chairs of open, pivoted frame construction with the seat and back formed of canvas or other strong fabric, an object of the invention being to provide a. chair of the character described which embodies such novel features of improved construction and design as to make it more comfortable, more readily adjustable and of greater. sturcllness and durability than others on the market or heretofore suggested.

Another object of the invention lies in the relative. arrangement and support of the seat and back whereby the back" may be moved to agreater or less degree of angular adjustment by the occupant without rising from the chair.

The invention also contemplates use of an extension member having dual functions, that isof being used as a foot rest or swung toanother position where, instead of a soft seat as provided by the canvas alone, the chair becomes equipped with a hard seat which is formed by employment of both the canvas and the. extension member removably supported beneath it;

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention both the canvas seat and back have transversely extending reinforcing strips of fabric, and it is a further object. of" the invention to provide a novel means for anchoring these strips to' the frame members connected thereby which will be stronger and more durable" than the usually employed fastening devices stitching.

Further obj ects' of the invention are to provide the back: of the chair with an adjustable headrest and a pocket for the reception of papers; magazines and the like.

A further object isthe' construction of a portable, folding chair which is offew parts, easy to' and when manipulate in. opening and closing, in folded condition will be so compact as" to 00- cupy but a minimum of space.

And, a still further object is the provision of novel interlocking means on the" seat frame, and the foot-rest whereby; if desired; the latter may be detachably secured to the chair.

To these and other ends, as will become m'anifest in the following more detailed description;

the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts fully set forth inthe specification and particularly defined in the appended:

claims;

The, accompanying'drawings illustrating a preferredembodiment of. the invention and forming a part of. the. specification are. as; follows:

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and side views, respecsu'ch' as tacks andyor tively, of the chair opened for use, the extension member being in the position it occupies when employed as a foot rest.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but drawn to a smaller scale. In this view the back is inclined to a greater degree than inFig. 2 and the chair is shown as it appears when the extension member is in folded position to provide both a hard seat and reinforcement for the canvas.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view as on line 4-4 of Fig. I but with the foot rest or extension member in the. folded position referred to in the description of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of that side of the chair toward. the observer in Fig. 2 and taken on line 6--li of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a like fragmentary sectional view as Fig. 6 but of the other side of the chair and taken on line TT of Fig; 4. Both Figs 6 and 7 are drawn to a still larger scale.

Fig. Sis a sectional detail illustrating one of the pivotal connections and is taken on line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a. detail showing one of the rungs.

Fig. 10 isa fragmentary detail showing a fabric retaining spline in a' side bar of the back frame.

Fig- 11 is a sideview of the chair when folded.

Figs. 12 and 13' are perspective views of the chair and foot rest, respectively, and disclose a modification of the invention in which the foot rest is a detachable member.

Fig. 14' is a greatly enlarged view showing the inner face of one of the foot rest attaching plates seen in Fig: 13, the front cross bar of the seat being shown in transverse section.

It will be understood that the drawings are for illustration purposes only and that various structural details may be made that do not depart from thespirit of theinvention as defined in the appended claims;

In the drawings, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

With referencefirst to Figs. supporting memberswhile-the rear legs 2 and 4 incline-forwardly but at: a lesserangletoithe chair'supporting surface thanthe frontlegs- Theupper, forward ends of rear legs; 2 andll" are cut on the bias and abut the adjacent side edges of their respective front legs and 3 at approximately the seat level. And, rigidly attached to the outer side face of each rear leg at its upper end is one arm of a V-shaped hinge plate the other arm of which has pivotal connection at 6 with the front leg. A brace 1 connects the front and rear legs of each pair to prevent their spreading and to relieve strain at the pivotal connections 6. These braces 1 are attached to the leg members by headed pins 8 which engage in opposing slots 9, the latter permitting movement of the pins toward each other when the chair is folded as in Fig. 11. Tie rods or rungs Hi and. H connect the front legs I and 3 and the lower ends of rear legs 2 and 4 are connected by a rung l2. Also secured to the lower ends of legs 2 and 4 are stop blocks 65 for the purpose later to be described.

The chair seat includes a frame indicated in general by numeral I3 and formed of parallel side rails l4 and |5 connected at their forward ends by a rung l6 and at their rear ends by rung |1. Pivoted at 611. to the seat rails l4 and. |5 in advance of the rung H are the parallel upright side bars l8 and I9, forming the framework of the chair back, indicated in genera1 by numeral and which, like the legs and seat rails, are connected adjacent their upper and lower ends by rungs indicated at 2| and 22.

The front legs I and 3 extend upward beyond their pivotal connection 5 and at their upper ends are pivoted at 23 with the forward ends of side arms 24 and 25 which lie substantially parallel with the seat l3 and at their rear ends are pivoted at 25 with the side bars I8 and I9 of the back frame 20.

Free to turn in the lower end of each side bar |8 and I9 below rung 22, but held against axial displacement, is one arm of a U-shaped clip 21. These clips engage the inner faces of rear legs 2 and 4 and have their other arms extending laterally under such legs, thus providing means for holding the convex ends of the bars l8 and I3 from riding off of the legs 2 and 4 and in sliding contact therewith.

Held against axial displacement but, free to turn on the inner end of each pivotal connection 3, is the upright portion of an inwardly turned L-shaped bracket 28. These brackets 28 slidably support the rails l4 and I5 of the seat frame |3. Similar brackets connections 6a. are provided as supporting means for the footrest when the latter is in folded position within the seat frame in the manner and for the purpose now to be described.

The foot rest, indicated by numeral 30, extends forward from the frame l3 and comprises side bars 3| and 32 connected by rungs 33 and 34 and pivoted at their inner ends to the seat rung l6. Longitudinally extending spaced slats 33a extend between the rung 33 and a cross bar 34a. adjacent the inner rung 34. The free end of the member is supported from the ground by member 35 extending substantially upright and comprising parallel side pieces 36 and 31 having pivotal connections 38 with their respective side bars 3| and 32 of the foot rest 30. Transverse slats 39 connect the side pieces 36 and 31. One of the pivotal connections 38 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 8, the two frame side pieces 3| and 36 connected thereby being free to rotate but held against axial movement by the headed ends of two members, one of which is a bushing 40 on which the parts 3| and 36 have bearing, with a washer 4| between them, and the other a stud 42 threaded into the bushing. This type 29 on the inner ends of pivotal 4 of pivotal connection is also preferably employed at 6, 5a, 23 and 26.

A length of canvas or other strong fabric is anchored at one end to the forward rung l6 of seat frame l3 and at its other end to the top rung 2| of back frame 20, thus providing a seat portion 43 and a back portion 44 which, at their line of juncture are stitched to a loop 45 of like material anchored to the rung H of frame l3. The seat portion 43 is reinforced by a transverse strip 45 of fabric attached to the side rails l4 and I5 preferably by splines 41 which hold the ends of the strip seated in grooves 48, (see Figs. 4, 6 and '7) cut in the under sides of rails M and |5. The back portion 44 is also similarly reinforced by a strip 49 attached to side bars I8 and I9 by splines 50 which seat the fabric in grooves 5| in such bars in the manner shown in Fig. 10. Attached to the strip 49 is a pocket 52 for papers, magazines, etc.

The runs connecting the side pieces of the difierent frame members are all similar to rung 2| shown in detail in Fig. 9, the ends of the rung being turned down to form shoulders abutting the side bars l8 and I9 and into which the reduced ends of the rung are threaded, the thread at one end being right hand and the other left hand.

The splines 41 are preferably formed integrally with metal strip 53 secured to the undersides of seat rails l4 and I5 and each formed at its forward end with a return bend to provide a hook 54 adapted to engage its respective bracket 28 and thus limit backward movement of seat 13.

Pivoted to the inner faces of bars |8 and I9 on studs 55 are the lower ends of a pair of short arms 56 between which is a strip of fabric, forming an angularly adjustable head rest 51. Notched arms 58 pivoted at their outer ends to the arms 55 rest on pins 59 in the bars I8 and H], the pins engaging in one or another of a plurality of notches to releasably hold the head rest in its adjusted position.

When the member 30 is used as a foot rest the fabric portion 43 provides a soft seat. By swinging the supporting member 35 so that its side pieces 36 and 31 lie in the spaces between the side pieces 3| and the adjacent slats 33a of the foot rest 30, and then by raising seat frame I3 off the brackets 28 and swinging the foot rest 30 about its axis Hi, the foot rest will nest within the seat frame with the side bars 3| and 32 supported at their free ends on the brackets 29. Thus a hard seat is provided which is covered by the canvas seat portion 43, this arrangement being illustrated in Figs. 4 and '1. It will be observed that the transverse slats 39 of member 35 rest upon the longitudinal slats 33a of the member 30, when these parts are in folded position, thus preventing the member 35 from dropping, and that with the slats 39 flush with the tops of the side pieces of the nested frame members the hard seat will have an even surface over its entire area. With the foot rest in folded position it may also be possible to have a soft seat by turning the brackets 29 so as to release the member 30 and allow it to drop to the dotted line position 30a, Fig. 4, where it rests upon the rung 22.

In Figs. 12, 13 and 14 there is shown a modification of the chair in which the foot rest, indicated at 3% is detachable from the seat frame l3b. Other parts of the chair being identical with like parts of the chair hereinabove described are given like reference numerals.

In this instance similar extension plate members 6060 of substantially the conformation shown for one of them in Fig. 14', are attached to the side faces of the foot rest 30b. These plates 60 have upwardly opening cutouts 6|- adapted to receive the cross bar 62 of the seat frame which replaces the rung t6 of Figs. 1 and 2; The outer, free ends of the plates 60 are rounded and formed with obliquely disposed radial slots 63- open at their outer ends and adapted to slidably engage over axially aligned pins 64 extending inwardly from the side rails Mb and [5b of the seat frame [3b at points adjacent but in rear of the cross bar 62*. The method of attaching and detaching the foot rest to the chair is indicated in Fig. 14 in which the dotted line position 60a for one of the attaching plates 60 shows the position it assumes with relation to the seat frame when first engaging the pin 64.

When the chair is out of use and collapsed, as in, Fig. 11, it occupies but a minimum amount of; space, the foot rest members being nested within the seat frame [3 and the, front legs, rear legs, and back frame, lying in parallel relation and against each other in the manner shown with thelower end of the back frame abutting stop blocks 65 on the rear legs 2 and 4.

From the foregoing it is believed that the con: struction and use of the chair has been made sufficiently clear to call for no further explanation, It may e added,v however, that an occupant of the chair can adjust the inclination of the back without rising from it. Pressure exerted by the shoulders against the back of the chair will give it greater inclination, while shoving backward on the seat will tilt the back frame on its fulcrum 26 so as to give it less inclination, the lower ends of the side bars I8 and I9 at at all times riding on the angular top surface of the rear legs 2 and 4.

I claim:

1. In a folding chair, two rigidly connected parallel front legs, two rigidly connected parallel rear legs inclined toward said front legs and having hinge connection therewith whereby the said front and rear legs are maintained in substantial alignment as viewed from the front of the chair, a seat frame including parallel side rails slidably supported adjacent their forward ends by said front legs, side arms pivoted to the upper ends of said front legs, and a back frame including side bars having pivotal connection with said side arms and said side rails, the lower ends of said side bars bearing in slidable contact on said rear legs.

2. A folding chair according to claim 1 and including side braces having pin-and-slot connection with said front and rear legs.

3. In a folding chair, two rigidly connected and rearwardly inclined parallel front legs, two rigidly connected parallel rear legs inclined toward said front legs at a lesser angle than that of said front legs and having hinge connection with said front legs whereby the said front and rear legs are maintained in substantial alignment as viewed from the front of the chair, a seat frame including parallel side rails, means carried by said front legs for slidably supporting said side rails adjacent their forward ends, side arms above said seat frame and pivoted adjacent their forward ends to said front legs, and a back frame including upwardly extending side bars fulcrumed on the rear ends of said side arms and pivotally supporting the rear ends of said side rails, the lower ends of said side bars bearing in slidable contact on said rear legs.

4. A folding chair according to claim 3 but characterized by said side bars and said rear legs being of flat stock and including means carried by said side bars for retaining the said side bars and rear legs in contacting engagement.

5. In a folding chair, two rigidly connected and rearwardly inclined parallel front legs, two rigidly connected parallel rear legs inclined toward said front legs but at a lesser angle to the chair supporting surface than that of the front legs, an angle plate connecting one front leg with one rear leg: to form a pair of legs on one side of the chair and a like plate connecting the other front and rear legs toform a pair of legs on the opposite side of the chair, said angle plates being secured to said rear legs and having pivotal connection with said front legs, studs providing said pivotal connections, inwardly extending L-shaped brackets on the inner ends of said studs, a seat frame including .parallel side rails slidably supported ad'- jacent their forward ends on said brackets, side arms above said seat frame and pivoted at their forward ends to said front legs, a back frame including upwardly extending side arms fulcrumed on the rear ends of said side arms and pivotally supporting the rear ends of said side rails, the lower ends of said side bars bearing in slidable engagement against the inclined top surfaces of said" rear legs.

6'. Afolding chair according to claim 5 and including stop means on the under sides of said side rails for engaging said brackets to limit rearward movement of said seat frame.

7. A folding chair according to claim 5, but characterized by said side rails having longitudinal grooves in their under sides and including a length of fabric attached to said seat and said back frames to provide a seat portion and a back portion, a reinforcing strip of fabric for said seat portion and extending between said side rails with its ends inserted in said grooves, metal strips on the under surfaces of said side rails and slidable on said brackets, hooks on the forward ends of said metal strips for engaging said brackets to limit rearward movement of said seat frame, and splines integral with said strips, said splines engaging in said grooves as fastening means for the ends of said fabric strip.

8. The combination, in a folding chair, of rigidly connected parallel front legs, rigidly connected parallel rear legs hinged at their upper ends to said front legs and framed to include a bearing surface inclined toward said front legs, side arms pivoted at their forward ends to said front legs, an upwardly extending back frame having its lower end in slidable contact with said bearing surface and fulcrumed intermediate its ends to the rear ends of said side arms, and a seat frame having pivotal connection with said back frame below said side arms with its forward end slidably supported by said front legs said back frame being adjustably inclined to a greater or less degree 9. The combination, in a folding chair, of a back frame, means for adjustably supporting said frame, a seat frame pivotally supported adjacent its rear end to said back frame, means for slidably and releasably supporting the forward end of said seat frame, a seat formed of fabric and secured to said seat to said seat frame, a ground engagmg support for the outer end of said foot rest and pivoted thereto, said support being foldable to nest within said foot rest and said foot rest being foldable to nest within said seat frameto provide a reinforcement for said fabric seat, and movable means on said seat frame for releasably supporting the outer end of said foot rest when in folded position.

10. A combination according to claim 9 but characterized by said movable supporting means on said seat frame being a pair of oppositely positioned inwardly turned L-shaped brackets on the pivotal connections of said seat and. back frames.

11. A combination according to claim 9 but characterized by said seat frame, said foot rest andsaid foot rest supporting member each including a pair of side rails, by said foot rest and said supporting member each having spaced slats with the slats of one member at right angles to those of the other member and, when said movable supporting means engage under said foot rest, by the slats of said supporting member resting upon the slats of said foot rest and lying flush with the top edges of said several side rails.

12. A folding chair including front legs, rear legs, a back frame and a seat frame comprising spaced parallel side rails having pivotal connections at their rear ends to said back frame and a cross bar connecting their forward ends, means carried by said front legs upon which the forward ends of said side rails are releasably supported adjacent their forward ends, a foot rest, and means for detachably connecting said foot rest to said seat frame comprising axially aligned pins extending inwardly from said side rails in rear of said crossbar and rearwardly extending plates on said foot rest having their free ends rounded, said plates having upwardly opening cutouts to receive said crossbar and radial slots in said rounded ends for receiving said pins.

13. In a folding chair, a back frame, a seat frame and a fabric seat secured thereto, pivotal connections joining the said two frames, a foot rest hinged to the forward end of said seat frame, and rotatably movable brackets mounted on said pivotal connections for releasably engaging the outer end of said foot rest when folded under said fabric seat.

WILLIAM KOTLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 318,368 Gitt May 19, 1885 414,801 Edwards et a1 Nov. 12, 1889 491,651 Jordan Feb. 14, 1893 1,619,402 Carter Mar. 1, 1927 1,911,127 Wasserberg May 23, 1933 1,989,203 Larsen Jan. 29, 1935 2,020,207 Platter Nov. 5, 1935 2,099,498 Platter Nov. 16, 1937 2,161,226 Freedman June 6, 1939 2,272,329 Schermerhorn Feb. 10, 1942 2,333,761 Beeskow Nov. 9, 1943 

